We don't even have a baby yet, but we are trying to get our ducks in a row for our first family vacation. My mom won't be able to attend the birth or even travel to come see her first grandson, so we are planning on bringing the grandson to see her this Christmas.

We are due early October/end of September, which would make our bundle of joy approximately 3 months old around the time of the trip. Has anyone here flown with a 3 month old? We're talking all day travel here. Switching planes atleast once. Layovers. In the air for more than 5 hours.

I'm looking for advice on everything from checking a car seat vs. my parents buying/borrowing a car seat, packing for the trip, packing for the flight, and tips to keep a newborn content for that long.

Thanks!
Donna

A few quick thoughts:

We just flew, and the airline let us check the car seat for free.

Car seats sometimes don't come out with your luggage. In Atlanta this summer they come out in the oversized section and then go to a special carseat area. In Austin, they just go to oversized.

If you do check it, you can ask for a big plastic bag and tape it around it, or you can get a car seat bag like this one www.dadlabs.com/Gear-Daddy/carry-on-a-ca...avel-bag-review.html

This may be a little early for you, but
There are some car seat carriers that will attach to your car seat for airport travel.
www.dadlabs.com/Gear-Daddy/go-go-babyz.html

Umbrella strollers can go down the ramp and they airline folks will gate check them for you.

Some airlines allow families to go first, and this seems to be a moving target which ones do, but it makes a worlddddddddd of difference to not be in a hurry.

Advice Daddy Clay once gave. Buy Starbucks coupons for everyone around you.

Nursing helps the babies ears adapt to air pressure changes upon take off and landing.

It takes time to install a car seat once you land. In a crowded and hot parking garage with a baby crying and .....

Sure the grandparents can install before you get there, but then there is the need to double check.

Be prepared now and for the long haul for you bio programming to kick in and for you to think that you drive the safest of anyone and you would prefer to drive. In some families this makes for hard conversations as the parents age.

Lots of germs on airplanes, and sickness might ensue. Think about your tolerance for this. Are you a build the immunity parent or a lets wait awhile b/c its a scary world full of real viral threats.

Changing a poopy diaper on an airplane is memorable.

Be prepared to walk up and down the aisles with your baby when you have good air. Of course there are horror stories of unexpected turbulence. We walked anyway.

good luck!

Congrats on the bundle of joy on the way. It is sure to be a joyous Christmas for the entire family especially Grandma. We flew cross country with our 3 month old twice. That age is actually easier to travel with than older babies and kids as they mostly eat sleep for the entire trip. If you breast feed that makes it smooth. Car seats are fairly easy to travel with but if grandma has one, that's one less thing to check. glad to have you in the Lab!

I'd seriously consider taking a train if at all possible. We're trying to get in the mode of looking at Amtrak's schedule before flights. It may take a bit longer, sometimes a lot longer, but it could be about the same cost and much more relaxing. With a 3 month old, you can probably get away without getting a room, but I think a room would make diaper changes and feedings go more smoothly.

I think I mostly covet a chance to relax and read instead of fighting for leg room or trying to stay awake while driving a 9 hour leg.

It's not as bad as one might think. Try to give your little one a bottle during take-off and during landing. That will help reduce the ear popping because he/she will be swallowing constantly. At three months old, it's likely he/she will sleep for the majority of the trip (if you're lucky).

The most daunting part of traveling with an infant is the sheer amount of stuff you have to bring with you . . . car seat, crib or playpen, etc. We went on a two week trip shortly after my daughter was born. The week before we left, I kept a list on the refrigerator of everything I used each day. When she got a bath, I wrote down "soap, shampoo, tub, washcloth, etc". It was a pretty extensive list, but it really helped give us some peace of mind that we weren't forgetting anything.

Also, you may want to ask grandma to search yardsales and pick up a set of some of these things to keep at her house.

Have a fun and safe trip!

We had an amazing time as a family when we took our daughter (then 3 months old) and out son (then 3) on a cruise. The cruise left from Galveston, so it was just a 3 hour drive for us and the cruise was at an off peak time -- so it was cheap.

My parents came along so we had some child care, and we had a great time. The motion of the boat helped our baby sleep through the night for the first time.

Everything on the boat was so convenient -- the vacation came to us, in a sense. Very easy to do with a baby. We could go ashore, or just chill on the boat.

I was pretty skeptical -- I thought the whole thing would be completely cheesy. And it had its cheesy moments, but it was enormously restorative. The whole family really had a ball.

Christmas is a peak time, so a cruise might be pricey, but I think it's an excellent vacation to take with a new baby.